Protein, calories, and serving size are the three numbers that I focus on when I check labels.

Of particular interest to me is the ratio between protein and calories, in that I want as many grams of protein as reasonably possible per 100 calories of food (except for chocolate, which has almost no protein but still forms a very small but important part of my daily diet now that I am at my goal weight ).

I'm another chocolate eater but a bar of Lindt, 85% Cocoa EXCELLENCE lasts me for months. I had some for my birthday back in March and there's still 4 1/2 of the 10 squares left. Who's have thought that I could be satisfied with 1/2 square of chocolate post-op!

I look at protein, calories, then carbs. Carbs aren't a huge concern for me yet, as 90% of the food I eat right now is protein from meat and fish, which has very little carbs. I've been eating a Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt once a day for a snack, and that is where most of my carbs come from. I am usually under 20 grams of carbs per day.

Trish - I eat a pretty high amount of dairy products throughout the day, milk, yogurt and cheeses and my vegetable and fruit (to a lesser degree) are through the roof.

The only carbs I avoid completely are those from starchy sources like breads, cereals, crackers and pasta and if I eat corn, canned beans or the like, it's limited to a scant 1/4 (because it brings on hypoglycemia).

I look at protein, calories, then carbs. Carbs aren't a huge concern for me yet, as 90% of the food I eat right now is protein from meat and fish, which has very little carbs. I've been eating a Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt once a day for a snack, and that is where most of my carbs come from. I am usually under 20 grams of carbs per day.

Not quite 6 months out --- I am with Trish on this list, protein first, > then calories > carbs last. I have another criterion, which is fiber.

I'm doing fine on protein every day and honestly am looking to get some veggies with fiber in every day. Last night had some farro (100 calories worth, a bit less than 30 grams before cooking) with some chicken sausage to provide some bulk to my diet. Night before last had black beans, same issue of getting enough fiber and bulk. Prefer to address intestinal health with fiber and not with drugs or bowel stimulants. If I exercise enough I usually have room in my calories balance to have foods like beans or farro. Unlike @cinwa did not have a bypass and do not have issues with hypoglycemia if I eat them.

When I plateau I sit myself down, go over my intake records, and usually find that I have been creeping up in terms of carbs... and then do pretty well when I trim back.

@cinwa, I was eating some cheese every day as well as my yogurt. I don't like milk, so that's out. But my general surgeon asked me to back off on the cheese until we figure out what's going on with the colon/intestine stuff. Especially since I'm not eating much in the way of veggies or fruit yet. I do eat a little, but not enough to give me the fiber I need. Once I can get 3 ounces of protein in, if I'm still hungry, I add a bit of veg in. Most days I'm not hungry after the protein. The only carbs I do eat, that are not dairy or veggie related, are carb smart pita pockets. I usually have half a pita with my chicken salad or sliced turkey. They are paper thin and have either 2 or 3 grams of carbs in them. Until I can eat enough fiber in my diet, I will be adding benefiber, or something similar. Like @BurgundyBoy, I would prefer to eat my fiber, but I'm just not there yet.

I try to make sure I am under 50g of Carbs a day, combined with whatever I eat.

Calories are irrelevant to me.

I draw the line at 7g of sugar for all of the portions combined. But it depends on where the sugar is, for example, I eat very very little fruit, but if I am eating something that has fruit in it, I know that the sugar content is coming from the fruit, which changes what I will allow. I try to only do sugar free things, but I watch my sugar alcohols. So if something says it's 3g of sugar, but 19g of sugar alcohol then I will leave that alone also. Or if I am drinking say a Sugar free whole milk latte with a shot of sugar-free cinnamon dulce, I know that the milk is where the sugar is coming from on that, and I believe the venti size from Starbucks as 14g of sugar, that's my one indulgence.

For reference, I have been 'maintaining' for about 8 months. I hover between 154lbs and 158lbs.

So for example. One of my favorite cheeses is 0g of sugar, 9g of protein, 3g of carbs, per 1oz serving. I always look at sugar first. If I eat something with sugar by mistake, my heart beat increases, I break out in sweating, I get dizzy, and I get really uncomfortable. So for me it goes Sugar, Sugar Alcohol, Carbs.

I guess I didn't make it clear in question. I don't have a problem with protein, I make goal 9 out of 10 days.

I see post from time about people watching calories &or carbs along with sugar. not interested in protein, that

is the 1st thing I look for. I also know you can eat high protein & still get in trouble with weight regain if you don't watch

calories & carbs. not worried about fiber at this time.

I would like to know what you look for 1st 2nd & 3rd on the labels with calories sugar & carbs & how much.

do you just watch 1 of them like carbs or a combination of them. where do you draw the line on carbs, calories & sugar?

this is for after the honey moon period is over & you are trying to maintain.

don't mean to be so direct,

thanks to all

For me the answer is that I look at calories first after I check out the protein level..

The crucial point is to strictly follow your surgeon's diet plan after your surgery in order to maximize weight loss during the honeymoon period and to develop good food eating habits. Once you reach your goal weight, then you will need to adjust your diet to find a healthy long term diet that allows you to maintain your weight (and not regain any weight) while also being satisfying enough to stick to for the rest of your life.

For example, I microwave frozen meals for lunch most days when I am at work at my office, and I only buy frozen meals that are fairly high in protein (at least 15 grams) and have 330 calories or less (and that taste good). I could care less if the meals have pasta or rice in them, as long as they meet my protein and calorie requirements. BUT, I am at my goal weight now and if I cut my carbs more (as I did in the months after my surgery) I probably would lose weight and I do not want to lose any more weight now (words that I thought that I would never say ).

I also do not worry about sugar or sugar alcohol levels on food labels, since I am at my goal weight and do not dump when I have sugar (unless I eat a whole bowl of ice cream) or get ill when I have sugar alcohols. Of course, I do not eat a lot of high sugar foods, since I do watch my calorie input.

I also am very lucky in that I seem to maintain my weight with a high protein diet that is fairly high in carbs and averages about 2,000 calories per day. BUT, other people have very different metabolisms and might well gain weight if they ate what I ate.